


Back in the High Life

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family, Friendship, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-12
Updated: 2014-10-12
Packaged: 2018-02-20 18:32:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2438630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something as simple as a photograph had her mother erecting her large brick walls and armed towers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Back in the High Life

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written for the alphabet meme and [](http://vc-forever.livejournal.com/profile)[**vc_forever**](http://vc-forever.livejournal.com/)’s prompt of **P is for photograph or photo album**. I wrote it based on [this picture I've had of Kate Jackson](http://www.leninimports.com/kate_jackson_main.jpg) on my hard drive for the longest time.

The bottom came from under the box, scattering photographs, paperback novels, and little things everywhere. Emily didn’t even bother muttering her expletives, grabbing another box and throwing the stuff in.

“Emily Katherine Prentiss, that language is not appropriate for a lady.” Her mother said from the bathroom.

“Grandmother Prentiss talks like that all the time.” Emily countered.

“Fine, that language is not appropriate for my daughter.”

“Yes ma'am. I…oh my God.”

“What?” Elizabeth poked her head out the door. “What's the matter?”

“Holy I don't know what. Oh my God.”

“Emily?”

“Mother, can you tell me who this sexy woman is?” Emily held up the picture, the grin of a Cheshire cat on her face. “Wow, she is a babe.”

“Oh my goodness.” Elizabeth rushed into the bedroom. She snatched the picture from her daughter’s hand holding it to her chest. “That’s nothing.”

“Mother, that’s something. I want details.”

“Don’t be vulgar, Emily.”

“I'm not being vulgar, but you can be and I'm alright with that. Tell me where it was taken.”

“St. Thomas.” Elizabeth said. “I was young…wanton.”

“You were wanton?” Emily couldn’t hide her shock. “Now I really want details. I hope Daddy took it.”

“Yes, your father took the picture. I was sunbathing by the pool and he came out with his camera. I didn’t want him to take any nude photographs of me; I had aspirations to be more than a diplomat’s wife. Let’s just say Gregory could be very persuasive when he wanted to be. It’s discreet.”

“It’s beautiful, Mother. You shouldn’t be ashamed of it…you were a beautiful woman in love.”

“Are you saying that to me to soften the blow of the nude pictures someone took of you?” Elizabeth asked.

“You're never gonna see those.” Emily replied smirking. “Not that such a thing even exists.”

“You had a wild phase.”

Elizabeth picked up one of the random small photo albums on her bedroom floor and slipped the picture inside. There was nothing to see in the picture, just her bare back and happy smile. Still, it was embarrassing. Emily had seen her one way for most, if not all, of her life. Now she was going to see her in another way entirely. Elizabeth didn’t know how she felt about that.

“I'm still having a wild phase.”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“I guess you're not going to want me to repack this box, huh?” Emily asked.

“I think I can handle it. There are other ones in there to work with.”

“And I wonder what secrets are hidden in there.” she wiggled her eyebrows.

“Perhaps I should do this packing on my own.”

“Mother, are you serious? I was just kidding around; I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Emily had taken time off work, which was a miracle in itself, to help her mother prepare to move. She didn’t need the big house anymore. It was like a compound and Elizabeth felt as if she was in prison. She’d lived there on and off for years, had won it in the divorce settlement with Gregory.

But she split a lot of her time between DC and New York now as US Ambassador to the UN. She had a great condo there on the Upper East Side so she was going to buy a new place in Alexandria suitable for one. Emily wasn’t going to be sad to see the place go. There weren't too many happy memories there. Starting over someplace else would be better for the whole family.

“I wasn’t always the woman you see before you right now.” Elizabeth said.

“I know that. I would love to know a little of the woman in that picture.”

“I am your mother, Emily.”

“So what?” she asked. “Don’t you think that means I want to know you even more.”

“I don’t want to be profiled.” Elizabeth replied.

“You think I haven’t profiled up the wazoo?” Emily asked. “Please, I've been profiling people since preschool. Why do you think I'm so good at my job? What makes you more difficult than any Unsub I've ever tackled is I only get to see one side of you most of the time.”

“And you think seeing a discreet nude picture of me will give you another?”

“You know what, nevermind.” Emily did her best not to let out her sigh of frustration. She knew how much her mother hated it when she sighed. “Maybe you're right, Mother. If there are things in here you don’t want me to see then perhaps it would be better to ask someone else to help you pack. I don’t want to be a party to making you uncomfortable.”

“Emily…”

“Its alright.” She held up her hand. “I'm not going to bother to get bent out of shape about it. All that matters to me is that you move your stuff to the new place. Whether I help or not…I'm not going to be difficult about it.”

“Well alright.” Elizabeth said, conceding. It was easier than apologizing or letting her see what else might be in those boxes or photo albums. It had all been put away so long ago, in the box and in the back of her mind. Bringing it up now wouldn’t be good for her or her daughter.

“I'm just gonna go, OK?” Emily sat down on the bed, slipping into her shoes and then grabbed her purse from the chair.

Elizabeth nodded even though she didn’t want that. She also didn’t want to talk about her nude photographs or her marriage to Gregory. She thought this was a good idea; a way for her and Emily to spend some mother-daughter time together. Ever since the whole to-do in Italy and Elizabeth sending Emily to America for school, they hadn't been close. When Emily actually got the time off work, her mother could hardly believe it. Yet here they were again, light years away from each other with no common ground in sight.

“Have a nice night Mother.”

“You too, sweetheart.”

Emily gave her a light kiss on the cheek before getting the hell out of dodge. To think she had been looking forward to spending time together. She would have to lug huge boxes and suitcases and junk but she was still looking forward to it. Julia was coming down on Thursday for a long weekend too. It had been so long since the three of them did something fun together. Moving surely wasn’t the most fun in the world but it was something.

Instead Emily was leaving the house and heading to her SUV. Something as simple as a photograph had her mother erecting her large brick walls and armed towers. Emily could do the same thing with people…she came by it honest. She just didn’t want to do it with family.

She really didn’t want it to be done to her. Just once she wanted her mother to open up, tell her a story. She wanted Elizabeth to share her life and her history. Emily wanted real pieces and not something about diplomatic relations.

She drove her car half a mile before stopping to use her cell phone. It would've been a bad move to just sit in her mother’s driveway. So Emily pushed four, listened to it ring, and then the voicemail picked up. It was strange that he wasn’t answering his phone.

“Hi, it’s me. I'm heading home in a few minutes and if you're not doing anything I thought maybe we could do nothing together. I know I'm supposed to be helping my mother but…” she was finally able to sigh. “I just need a drink and some junk food. I’ll see you later.”

Emily started the ignition again, this time heading for DC. Odds were she was only going to be able to stay on her supposed high horse for a day or so. That meant tonight needed to be fun. She put in her Bluetooth and hit another number on her phone.

***

“I got _Enter the Dragon, Fist of Fury_ , Miller High Life, Chinese dumplings, and someone who wants to cuddle with you something fierce.

“I love you.” Emily stepped over the threshold and into Derek Morgan’s arms. She held on tight.

“You know I always got your back.” He kissed her temple. “C'mon in. Clooney, your girlfriend’s here.”

“Hey Clooney! C'mere buddy!”

Barking happily, Clooney bounced off the couch and ran at Emily with alarming speed. She crouched down to greet him but in a matter of seconds was on her ass. Clooney had taken over her lap, happily licking her face as Emily laughed and petted him.

“So what happened with you and your mom?” Derek asked.

“I’d rather talk about anything but that. I know I'm supposed to help her move, and I want to. She’s just so damn infuriating.”

“So you came by that honest?” he asked, putting on his thousand watt grin.

“You're not funny.” Emily got up from the floor but the Rottweiler was still on her heels.

“Yeah I am. Come into the den…I got a nice evening planned.”

Emily nodded, following him. She knew she wouldn’t forget about what happened but it could go in the back of her mind for a day or so. She’d enjoy her night, cuddle her bruised ego, and perhaps return to her mother’s when her sister arrived to play Switzerland.

“I really appreciate it. I know I probably should've just sucked it up and stayed. It’s just so exhausting to constantly get pushed away.”

“Yeah, especially when it’s happening in more than one area of your life.” Derek replied.

“Don’t start.”

“I didn’t say a thing.”

“You said a million things.” Emily said.

“That I'm sure you don’t want to talk about so we won't. Let’s eat, drink, and be merry.”

“Do you need some help in the kitchen?”

“Nope.” Morgan shook his head. “Just kick off your shoes and relax. You can start the DVD…I’ll be about ten minutes.”

“I can wait.” She said.

Morgan nodded and went to the kitchen. Emily took off her shoes, maxing out on the couch. She put her two cell phones and Bluetooth on the coffee table in front of her. Once Clooney saw she was settled, he jumped up to join her.

Emily smiled as she petted him. She’d never been much of a dog person until he became her friend. He was so much like his owner it was insane. Friendly, loyal, smart, brave, and fiercely protective of those they loved, Clooney and Morgan loved saving the world together.

Emily wasn’t surprised when her phone rang. She was sure it was her mother with the requisite apology which she always accepted. It was much easier than holding on to the sadness and anger. Except that Emily did hold onto it and nothing about her relationship with her mother was easy. It wasn’t Elizabeth though.

“Hi there.”

“I thought you said you were heading home.” Hotch said.

“There was a change of plans.”

“Did you and your mother make up?”

“No. When I couldn’t reach you I called another friend. I wasn’t in the mood to be alone tonight.”

“Who did you call?” he asked.

She could hear the neutrality in his voice but didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to know he wouldn’t like the answer.

“I'm at Morgan’s.” she said.

“Morgan’s?”

“Yeah.”

Derek came into the den with their snacks. He gave his dog the ‘don’t even think about it’ look but knew it would be a battle.

“Well I'm about to leave Quantico so I'm free to get together now.” Hotch said.

“No, it’s OK. We’re watching movies and just gonna hang out. Considering the evening I've already had I don’t want this to become a point of contention though.”

“It’s fine.” Hotch’s tone said it wasn’t fine at all. Nothing about it was fine.

“Alright, I’ll see you later.”

“Goodnight, Emily.”

“I’ll get the cold shoulder all day tomorrow.” Morgan said. He lifted Emily’s legs, sat, and put them back over his lap. He patted Clooney’s butt and he jumped down. He wouldn’t go far though in case they were snacks.

“I'm sorry.”

“Oh please, I grew up in a house with three women. I know every way possible to deflect diva-like behavior.”

Emily laughed, turning on the DVD.

“Tell me some of these are seafood.” She said.

“I know what you like, woman. There’s chicken, seafood, veggie, and all the beer your heart desires.”

“I know I told you that I love you but I think it bears repeating.” She popped a dumpling in her mouth and then smiled. “Mmm, these are awesome.”

Morgan smiled as they settled in for an evening of Bruce Lee. All the other stuff, moms, boyfriends, and everything in between, could wait. Tonight was about best friends, good times, and the High Life.

***

  



End file.
